title: Effect of artificial food colours on childhood behaviour.
abstract: We performed an objective evaluation of 39 children whose behaviour was observed by their parents to improve on an artificial food additive free diet and to deteriorate with dietary lapses. Only 19 children completed a double blind placebo controlled challenge study with artificial food colours. In these children food colours were shown to have an adverse effect on a daily Conners' rating of behaviour, but most parents could not detect these changes. A pharmacological mechanism of food additive intolerance is proposed to explain these effects.
authors.affiliation: Heart and Lung Institute, Brompton Hospital, London.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Warner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000548:Amaranth Dye / Q000009:adverse effects; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005505:Food Coloring Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009282:Naphthalenesulfonates / Q000009:adverse effects; D013645:Tartrazine / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005505:Food Coloring Agents; D009282:Naphthalenesulfonates; D000548:Amaranth Dye; C006671:azo rubin S; C005842:6-hydroxy-5-((p- sulfophenyl)azo)-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid disodium salt; D013645:Tartrazine